Sabres notebook
Tallinder, Afinogenov sit out Flyers’ game
Lindy Ruff saw enough in Wednesday’s ugly 7-4 loss at Boston as well as the previous five games, so he shuffled his deck for Friday’s loss to Philadelphia.
Sitting in the press box as healthy scratches were two regulars — defenseman Henrik Tallinder and winger Maxim Afinogenov. It was the first time the 29-year-old Tallinder was scratched since the 2003-04 season, and a first for Afinogenov since the 2007 playoffs.
Right winger Mark Mancari was called up from Portland of the American Hockey League to replace Afinogenov while Nathan Paetsch moved from the press box to the lineup to spell Tallinder.
Afinogenov did not talk to the media after the morning skate but Tallinder, speaking in calm but measured tones, made it clear he wasn’t happy with the coach’s decision.
“He doesn’t like I guess my toughness around my own end, maybe that I have to try to battle a bit harder,” Tallinder said. “That’s pretty much it. I haven’t heard much else.”
Tallinder committed a brutal giveaway on an intercepted pass that led to the first goal Wednesday and was chained to the bench most of the final 50 minutes of that game. But he said he felt he was getting unduly punished for one mistake.
“I’m not agreeing with him to get benched on that play but it was a bad mistake,” Tallinder said. “Hey, he’s the coach. You just have to move on.”
Tallinder is minus-1 for the season but Ruff has said several times in the last two seasons that his once-former defensive ace isn’t the same player after a series of shoulder and arm injuries. Tallinder didn’t agree.
“It’s his opinion. If he thinks that, well I don’t think so,” Tallinder said. “I think I can be a lot better. My skating legs feel great. I just have to get my focus to work a little smarter and harder down low.”
“I’m not going to have an extra defenseman sitting there when we have lack of focus and lack of determination in some situations,” Ruff said. “It’s tough. The easy thing to do would be to put him in again and say, ‘You’ve got to play better than that.’ . . . Hank’s a good guy but Hank isn’t playing well enough to stay in the lineup.”
Afinogenov has been a blog and talk-show cause celeb this year because he has only one goal and continues to be a liability with the puck.
“His stats offensively aren’t that good so it’s a combination,” Ruff said. “I told the players I’m not going the easy route anymore,” Ruff said. “Our grit guys that are playing gritty aren’t coming out of the lineup. Make yourself accountable for your play.”
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Mancari, 23, was second in the AHL in scoring with 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) in 14 games at Portland. He skated with center Paul Gaustad and left winger Daniel Paille.
“It was very exciting to get the call. I can’t even explain it,” said Mancari, who played in his third NHL game. “I was waiting for it for a year.”
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Tonight’s 7 p. m. game against the Islanders will give the Sabres two regular-season home games in two nights for the first time since losses to Minnesota and New Jersey on March 9-10, 2007. Before that, the Sabres had not played two at home in two nights since 1998.
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